Manufacture of artificial textile yarns or films



Patented Apr. 27, 1943 MANUFACTURE OF ARTIFICIAL TEXTILE YARNS 0R FILMS John Bamber Speakman, Far Headingley,

Leeds, and Norman Henry Chamberlain, Headingley, Leeds, England, assignors to Cefoil Limitecl, Maidenhead, England, a British company No Drawing. ApplicationDecember 12, 1941, Serial No. 422,700. In Great Britain November 14,

18 Claims.

This invention comprises improvements in or relating to the manufacture of artificial textile yarns or films.

It is an object of the invention to provide improved yarn or film of the kind which can be made from alginates.

When a solution of sodium alginate is extruded continuously through suitable orifices into an acid medium, continuous filaments or films, according to the shape of the orifice, of alginic acid are obtained. Such products are unsuitable for use as textile fibres and for, many other purposes because of their weakness and their high degree of swelling in water., They can, however, be strengthened by treatment, for example with calcium acetate to form filaments or films of calcium alginate. Alternatively, the solution of sodium alginate might be extruded in the first instance into an acidified solution of, say, calcium chloride. followed, if desired, by treatment with calcium acetate solution.- Although superior to alginic acid fibres or films as regards strength, the fibres or films of calcium, aluminium and other alginates prepared in this way sufier from the defeet that the fibres dissolve in alkaline solution, such as a solution of soap and soda.

The failure to resist decomposition by alkalis. seems to be due to the fact that the metal-containing linkages between the long molecules of the fibres areionised. Metals having a marked power of co-ordination should, however, be capable of giving non-ionised linkages possessing al- Kali-stability. As indicated in prior United States patent application Serial No. 405,071 chromium compounds may be used with success to give chromium alginate fibres possessing a high degree of resistance to decomposition by soap and soda solution. When the chromium compound is itself polymerised, its protective action seems to be accentuated, as, for example, when basic chromium acetate is used.

Chromium compounds, however, possess the defect of colouring the alginate to shades which vary from grey, to green and purple, according to the nature of the heat treatment given during and after conversion into chromium alginate, It has now been found that uncoloured, alkaliresistant alginate yarns or films may be obtained by treating alginic acid, or calcium and other alginate fibres or films with beryllium compounds.

complete conversion of the alginate into beryllium alginate.

The following is an example of a successful compound of beryllium and its mode of use:

EXAMPLE I Preparation of basic beryllium acetate Preparation of beryllium alginate fibres 2.5 grams of calcium alginate yarn (9.96% Cal are steeped in 100 c. c. of 2% beryllium acetate solution, made by diluting 20 c. c. of the above stock solution of basic beryllium acetate to 100 c. c. with water, for 48 hours at room tempera- The invention accordingly comprises a process for .the production of alkali-resistant alginate yarns or films, characterised by the partial -or ture, The yarn and liquor are then heated on a boiling water bath for one hour, after which the yarn is removed, washed and dried. If desired, the yarn may be aged at C. or other raised temperature, but the yarn prepared without any such ageing treatment withstands the action of 0.2% soap, 0.2% sodium carbonate so lution'for at least three hours.

It is not, of course, necessary to replace the whole ofth'e calcium or aluminium or the like in the original yarn with beryllium in order to obtain resistant fibres. I n certain cases, it may, indeed, be advisable to effect only partial replacement in order to confer as wide a range of affinity for dyes as possible on the yarn. A mixed aluminium, chromium and beryllium alginate would possess a high degree of resistance to alkali, and afllnity for certain types of dye, for example, acid mordant dyes, would be givenby the aluminium, chromium and beryllium contained in the fibres, the amount of chromium being suificiently small not to colour the fibres seriously.

The following is an example of the process when carried out in this way:

Exsmrrn II ard conditions or test.) This solution is extruded into normal sulphuric acid saturated with sodium sulphate, and containing 2.5% or olive oil, emulsified with 1% of cetyl sodium sulphate or cetyl pyridinium chloride, preferably the latter.

After washing to remove sulphuric, acid, and sodium sulphate, 5 g. of the yarn is steeped for 24 hours at. room temperature in 9 litres of distilled-water containing 0.135 gram aluminium as aluminium triacetate, 0.227 gram chromium as one-third basicchromium acetate, and 0.08 gram beryllium as basic beryllium acetate. After treatment the yarn is washed in clean water and dried. It then consists of a mixed alginate of chromium, aluminium, and beryllium, and is resistant to alkalis, particularly after ageing or heat treatment or both. The time of treatment may be shortened by using more concentrated solutions and/or raising the temperature of treatment.

Instead of first preparing the yarn in the form of alginic acid and then converting it to beryllium alginate it may, if desired, be produced by spinning sodium alginate directly into a solution of a beryllium salt.

The following is an example or this procedure:

Exnsru: III

, 360 grams of beryllium sulphate were dissolved in 4000 ccs. of water and acidified by 10 cos. of concentrated hydrochloric acid. Sodium alginate solution containing 85-10% by weight oi sodium alginate and having a viscosity oi'100-150 secs. at 25 C. was spun into the beryllium sulphate bath, which was kept at room temperature. As

alkali and thereafter converting it at least in part to beryllium alginate by treatment with a solution or a beryllium salt.

2. A process as claimed in claim 1, wherein the alkali-alginate solution is coagulated in the form of alginic acid.

3. A process as claimed in claim 1, wherein the alkali-alginate solution is coagulated in the form of an alkali-soluble alginate.

4. A process as claimed inclaim 1, wherein the alkali-alginate solution is coagulated in the form 01' calcium alginate.

5. A process as claimed in claim 1, wherein the beryllium salt consists of basic beryllium acetate. 6. A process as claimed in claim 1, wherein the alkali-alginate solution is coagulated in the form of a yarn.

'7. A process as claimed in claim 1, wherein the alkali-alginate solution is coagulated in the form oi" a film. I

8. A process for the production 01 alginate fibres, wherein an alkali-alsinate solution is spun into a coagulating ,bath which comprises a beryl-- lium salt so that the resulting spun material comprises beryllium alginate.

' 9. A process as claimed in claim 1, wherein the extruded coagulated alginic material is treated with a solution containing salts of beryllium along with other metals selected from the group consisting of aluminum, chromium and calcium so that th final material consists of a mixture oi alginates of the metals contained in said solution.

10. A process for the production of alginate fibres as claimed in claim 8, wherein the coagu lating bath comprises not only a beryllium salt but also salts or other metals so that the resultin material contains alginates oi beryllium and said other metals.

11. A process for the production of alginate fibres as claimed in claim 8, wherein the coagulating bath comprises not only a beryllium salt but also salts of other metals selected from the group consisting of aluminum chromium and calciumso' that the resulting material contains alginates oi beryllium and said other metals.

12. A process for the production or alkali-resistant alginic materials in thin extended form,

consisting in taking solid alkali soluble alginic material which has already beenbrought to the physical form desired and treating it in. a solution of a beryllium salt so as to convert it, at least in part, toberyllium alginate. s

13. A process for the'production oi alkali-re- I sistant alginic material, consisting in treating alginic acid with a solution containing a beryllium salt so as to convert it, at least'in part, to berylsistant alginic material, consisting in treatins lium alginate.

14. A process for the production of alkali-realkali-soluble alginate with a solution containing a beryllium salt so as to convert it, at least in part, to beryllium alginate.

15. A process as claimed in claim 14 wherein the alkali-soluble alginate is calcium alginate.

16. A process as claimed in claim 12 wherein the beryllium salt is basic beryllium acetate.

17. A process for the production of alginate materials in thin-extended form wherein an alkalialginate solution is extruded into a coagulating bath which comprises a beryllium salt so that the coagulated material comprises beryllium allinate.

18. An alkali-resistant alginic material containing beryllium alginate.

JOHN SPEAKMAN. NORMAN HENRY CHAMBERLAIN. 

